The hugely successful S10 series of flagships may be a tough act to follow, but Samsung has proven that it's up to the task with the Galaxy Note 10. The latest phablet bearing the Note name is the first of its line to come with an even larger variant, and boasts an eye-pleasing design with impressive performance to boot.
A lot of the rumors we've come across regarding the Note 10 have come to pass, while others like a front camera with dual lenses have turned out to be untrue. That said, the Galaxy Note 10, regardless of model, still features a truly impressive spec sheet that's sure to wow Galaxy fans nationwide.
Jump to a section:Standout Features | Dates | Storage | Price | Body | Basics | Software | Skin | Display | Performance | Battery | Front Camera | Rear Camera | Audio | Media Formats | Sensors | Connectivity | Security | Box Includes | Accessories
1-Month Review
After a month of using this phone as my daily driver, my favorite feature is definitely the included 25 W charger. Coming from a Galaxy S10+, I'd gotten used to relatively slow charging — but now, 30 minutes is all I need to get up and running. And battery life is impressive, easily going a day and a half before needing to recharge (and mind you, I only charge to 80% to preserve battery longevity).
The other feature that made it hard for me to leave the phone is the display. For someone like me who likes to watch Netflix while I eat, having a phone with such a gorgeous, large screen was perfect. One complaint I have is that the curved edges make it slippery when propped up on its side. But you can always solve that by adding a case with a kickstand like the $18.99 ESR Metal Case from Amazon.
The Galaxy Note 10 & Note 10+
Performance was great. Unlike the Galaxy S10+ (at least initially), I got a sense the 12 GB of RAM was working, as I went back to apps I opened hours ago without having to redraw, even when I had 10–15 apps open. I also loved the weight of the phone in comparison to the Galaxy S10+, which weight felt similar to the LG V30 (which I don't like) — but of course, you might have different preferences.
The downsides to this phone are sparse, but the lack of a headphone jack still impacts me, especially when Samsung doesn't include their $14.99 dongle in the box. And, because of the way the drivers work on Samsung devices, I wasn't able to use USB Audio Pro Player (an app I strongly recommend to get the most out of headphone adapters and USB-C headphones). I also had some issues initially with connecting third-party dongles (they felt loose in the USB-C port), but it seemed to solve itself later.
The camera is better than the Galaxy S10+ but not noticeably better, which is a bit disappointing. Finally, while the S Pen is a great addition, I just find I don't use it. Even though Samsung continues to add to its functionality and even opened the SDK to third-party developers, besides forcing myself to record handwritten memos when the screen was off, it just sat inside the phone.
Jon Knight/Gadget Hacks
Important Dates
Announcement and release for the Note 10 goes in line with the introduction of previous Note models, and was introduced in Q3 2019. And while reservations for the Note 10 started late July, its formal unveiling didn't come until Aug. 7, 2019, during the Samsung UNPACKED event held in New York City.
- Release date: August 23, 2019
- Preorder date: August 8, 2019
- Announced: August 7, 2019
Storage Capacity
The Note 10 and 10+ has a much higher storage capacity when compared to the S10, and comes with a whopping 256 GB of internal storage for all four models. Also, the Note 10+ and 10+ 5G also have a 512 GB variant that you can purchase if the base storage is too little to your liking, just be prepared to pay more. For additional storage, the Note 10+ supports microSD cards up to 2 TB. This is available on the Note 10+ and its 5G variant only.
This is UFS 3.0 storage, so read and write speeds are much faster thanks to higher bandwidth per lane. Samsung managed to give the Galaxy Note 10 and 10+ the highest read and write speed. So even though it uses the same standard as the OnePlus 7 Pro, it has much faster speeds, which means apps and games load faster.
- Storage available: 256 GB (Galaxy Note 10, 10 5G, 10+, and 10+ 5G), 512 GB (Galaxy Note 10+ and 10+ 5G)
- Expandable storage: yes, up to 2 TB via microSD card (Galaxy Note 10+)
Price for Everything
If you're interested in purchasing the latest Note, we hope you've used this time to save up for the device, as buying one can put a huge dent in your wallet. The base, 256 GB Note 10 will set you back $949.99, while the Note 10+ 5G costs up to $1399.99. Here are the prices:
- Price: starting at $949.99 (Galaxy Note 10) and $1,099.99 (Galaxy Note 10+)
Body
In terms of design, the Note 10 and 10+ don't stray far from recent predecessors like the S10 and Note 9. They feature the same design language that utilizes glass for both the front and rear panels, and an aluminum frame, with Gorilla Glass 6 used for the front panel. The most notable omission to come with the Note 10 and 10+ is the contentious Bixby button, which has now been ditched in favor of hands-free summoning and better protection against water and dirt.
Regarding colors, the Galaxy Note 10 and 10 5G are available in Aura Glow, Aura Black, Aura White, Aura Pink and Aura Red. The Note 10+ and 10+ 5G on the other hand, comes in Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black, and Aura Blue.
- Frame: glass, aluminum
- Finish: Aura Glow, Aura Black, Aura White, Aura Pink and Aura Red (Note 10 and 10+), Aura Glow, Aura Black, Aura White, Aura Blue (Note 10+ and 10+ 5G)
The Note 10 in Aura White.
Basics
The Galaxy Note 10 and 10+ are relatively large devices that have kept the IP68 rating along with the S Pen. As with all flagship Samsung devices, they will have official support for all four major US wireless carriers along with an unlocked version.
- Height: 5.94 inches (Samsung Galaxy Note 10), 6.39 inches (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+)
- Width: 2.83 inches (Samsung Galaxy Note 10), 3.04 inches (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+)
- Depth: 0.31 (Samsung Galaxy Note 10), 0.31 inches (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+)
- Weight: 5.92 oz (Samsung Galaxy Note 10), 6.98 oz (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+)
- Dust/water resistance: IP68
- Supported carriers: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint
- Infrared blaster: no
The Galaxy Note 10's operating temperature is comparable to other smartphones. It operates optimally at temperatures between 32°F to 95°F.
- Operating temp: 32º to 95º F
- Nonoperating temp: Unknown
- Relative humidity: Unknown
- Operating altitude: Unknown
Software
As with previous versions, Samsung launched the Note 10 and 10+ with the second newest version of Android, 9 Pie. The latest Note's announcement coincides with Google's Android 10, so we can expect Samsung to update the Note 10 to this version around January 2020.
- Version: Android 9.0 Pie
Skin
The Galaxy Note 10 is running the latest version of the Android Pie-based One UI. Samsung's latest OS features tons of enhancements to improve performance and ease of use. Some of the more notable changes include the ability to automatically schedule between light and dark themes, employ gesture based navigation controls, and more.
- Version: One UI
Display
The Note 10 and 10+ have the thinnest bezels of any Galaxy handset to date. They feature a curved, Infinity-O display with a round, centered punch hole for the front-facing camera. The display panel itself is HDR10+ certified Dynamic AMOLED, with the Note 10 and 10 5G sporting a 6.3" FHD+ display with a resolution of 2280 x 1080, and the Note 10+ and 10+ 5G having a larger, 6.8" Quad HD+ screen with 3040 x 1440 resolution.
The Galaxy Note 10 and 10+'s display once again topped DisplayMate's testing, receiving a performance grade of A+. It also set or match 13 smartphone display performance records.
- Screen size: 6.4 inches (Galaxy Note 10), 6.8 inches (Galaxy Note 10+)
- Screen resolution: 2280 x 1080p (Samsung Galaxy Note 10), 3040 x 1440p (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+)
- Total pixels: 2,462,400 (Samsung Galaxy Note 10), 4,377,600 pixels (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+)
- Pixel density: 401 (Samsung Galaxy Note 10), 498 ppi (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+)
- Screen type: Dynamic AMOLED
- Notch: no
- Punch Hole: yes
- Screen-to-body ratio: Unknown
- Aspect ratio: 19:9
- Minimum brightness: 2 nits
- Maximum brightness: 1, 308 nits
- Refresh rate: 60 Hz (60 Hz for touch-sensing)
- Color temp: 6, 950 K
- Color gamut: up to 113% DCI-P3, 142% sRGB/Rec. 709
Performance
As flagship Galaxy handsets, the Note 10 and 10+ feature the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor found on the S10. RAM size varies on the S10 depending on model and internal storage capacities, ranging from 8 GB to an impressive 12 GB, though the latter is only available on higher end variants like the Note 10 5G and Note 10+.
- Memory: 8 GB (Samsung Galaxy Note 10), 12 GB (Samsung Galaxy Note 10 5G, 10+, and 10+ 5G)
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
- Chip size: 7 nanometer
- CPU frequency: 2.8 GHz (1x Gold), 2.4 GHz (3x Gold), 1.7 GHz (4x Silver)
- CPU cores: 8 Cores (4 Gold + 4 Silver) ( Samsung Galaxy Note 10+)
- GPU: Adreno 640
Battery
Battery capacity varies between the Note 10 and 10+ at 3,500 mAh and 4,300 mAh, respectively. Both variants feature support for Super Fast Charging, and come with a 25 W charger, but you can purchase a 45 W charger and 5A cable for Super Fast Charging 2.0 capabilities, though this only applies to the Note 10+.
Thanks to Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, topping up wirelessly on the Note 10 and 10+ is now also faster. In addition, the Wireless PowerShare feature first introduced on the S10 has carried over into the latest Note models, and lets you charge other devices like the Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Buds in a pinch.
- Battery: rechargeable lithium-ion
- Capacity: 3,500 mAh (Samsung Galaxy Note 10), 4,300 mAh (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+)
- Wired charging: yes, 25 W charger (capable of up to 45 W, Note 10+ only)
- Wireless charging: yes, 12 W (Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and 10+), 15 W (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+)
- Reverse wireless charging: yes, PowerShare (4.5 W)
Front Camera
Unlike the S10+, the Galaxy Note 10 and 10+ both feature a centered selfie camera that has a single, 10 MP camera with f/2.2 aperture and 1.22 µm pixel size. Night mode for low light selfies and the ability to shoot in HDR 10+, along with Live focus and voice control, are some of the noteworthy features the front-facing camera comes standard with.
- Resolution: 10 MP
- Aperture: f/2.2
- Pixel Size: 1.22 µm
- Zoom: no
- Flash: yes, screen flash
- Image stabilization: no
- RAW support: yes
- Object detection: Unknown
- Formats: JPEG, RAW
Rear Camera
Like the S10+, the Note 10 and 10+ both utilize a triple camera system which consists of a pair of 12 MP (telephoto and wide-angle) lenses, along with a 16 MP ultra-wide angle lens for capturing images in a field of view of up to 123 degrees. Camera placement is radically different, however, and the latest handsets have main shooters that are vertically oriented along the left side of the rear panel. Beyond those, the Note 10+ and 10+ 5G come with an additional DepthVision Camera to more accurately measure depth for bokeh and other effects.
- Resolution: 12 MP(telephoto), 12 MP (wide-angle), 16 MP (ultra-wide).
- Sensor size: 1/2.55" + 1/3.6" + Unknown
- Pixel size: 1.0 µm (telephoto), 1.4 µm (wide-angle), 1.0 µm(ultra wide)
- Aperture: f/2.1 (telephoto), variable aperture (f/1.5-f/2.4) (telephoto), f/2.2 (ultra wide)
- Zoom: yes, 2x optical and 10x digital
- Flash: yes, LED
- Image stabilization: yes, dual OIS and EIS (telephoto and standard), EIS (ultra wide)
- RAW support: yes
- Lens cover: Unknown
- Object detection: yes, Face, Baby, Person, Dog, Cat, Food, People, Beaches, Sky, Mountain, Sunset, Sunrise, City, Snow, Waterfall, Watersides, Scenery, Stage, Vehicles, Drinks, Flowers, Trees, Greenery, Animal, Shoes, Backlit, Indoor, Text, Clothes, Night view
- Formats: JPEG, RAW
As for video capabilities, the Note 10 comes standard with a ton of features for you to play with. It's capable of recording videos in 4K UHD up at 60 fps. Notable features include the ability to capture still photos in 9.1 MP while recording videos in 4K UHD, highlight specific sounds through Zoom-In Mic, and much more.
- Resolution: 720p, 1080p, and 4K
- Max frame rate: 60 fps for 720p, 60 fps for 1080p and 4K
- Slow motion: 720p at 120 fps, 240 fps, 480 fps (0.8s), 960 fps (0.4s), 1080p at 120 fps, 240 fps
- Time-lapse: yes, 1080p
- Photos: yes, unknown
- Zoom: yes, see above
- Flash access: yes, see above
- Image stabilization: yes, see above
- Object detection: Unknown
- Autofocus: yes
- Audio: stereo
- Formats: H.264, H.265
Audio
With the Galaxy Note 10, Samsung has finally given up on the tried-and-true 3.5 mm headphone jack, and have made the flagship's USB-C port the only means for wired audio connection. Though unfortunate, ditching the audio jack offers numerous benefits, such as more space for its large battery, and improved durability in terms of water and dirt resistance due to better sealing overall.
Apart from that, the Note 10 and 10+ feature AKG-tuned stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos also built-in. Dual Audio functionality is also standard, and lets you connect two Bluetooth devices simultaneously and blast music through two separate devices at the same time.
- 3.5 mm headphone jack: no
- Stereo speakers: yes, earpiece and bottom-firing speaker
- Mics: Unknown
- Max speaker volume: Unknown
Jake Peterson/Gadget hacks
Media Formats
The Galaxy Note 10 and 10+ feature the same video and audio playback support that's supported by the Android OS, which covers the following:
- Audio:MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF
- Video: MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM
Sensors
The Galaxy Note 10 and 10+ packs the usual array of sensors found in the Galaxy series of flagships. Apart from the standard gyroscope, hall, and proximity sensors, the latest Note also includes various health-related sensors like a pedometer and heart rate monitor to compliment fitness apps like S Health.
- Accelerometer: yes
- Ambient light: yes
- Barometer: yes
- Color temperature: yes
- Compass: yes
- Gravity: yes
- Gyroscope: yes
- Hall: yes
- Infrared: no
- Laser: no
- Pedometer: yes
- Proximity: yes
Beyond those, it's worth mentioning that Samsung has finally incorporated dual-band GPS support for the Galaxy Note 10 and 10+, making it one of the first phones to add this feature that officially released in the US.
- GPS: yes
- aGPS: yes
- Glonass: yes
- BeiDou: yes
- Galileo: yes
- QZSS: no
Connectivity
The Bluetooth-enhanced S Pen has made a return with the Note 10 and 10+, and comes with numerous updates that give it better performance and battery life overall. Most notably, the new S Pen comes with an impressive 4.096 pressure levels and latency under 70 ms, in addition to the introduction of more Air Commands for even more control over the Note 10 remotely via the S Pen.
- Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/ac/ax
- Bluetooth: 5.0
- NFC: yes
- Cellular: nano-SIM
- Port: USB Type-C
- Other: S Pen (Bluetooth powered)
All the LTE variants of the Note 10 come equipped with Verizon's LTE Band 13, with the remaining LTE Bands being shared between AT&T and T-Mobile. The 5G models, on the other hand, will support both low-band and millimeter wave bands, though coverage is still limited to only a number of cities.
LTE Version - Supported Bands
- GSM: 850/1900
- UMTS: 850/1700/1900
- CDMA: BC0, BC10
- LTE Bands: 2/4/5/7/12/13/14/25/26/30/38/41/48/66/71
5G Version - Supported Bands
- 5G Non-Standalone (NSA), Sub6 / mmWave
Security
The Galaxy Note 10 and 10+ both feature in-display fingerprint scanners first introduced on the S10 and S10+ for biometric security. And now that the technology has had ample time to mature, the fingerprint sensors deliver better out-of-the-box performance compared to its predecessors thanks to upgraded software that reads fingerprints faster and more reliably.
As far as software, Knox has been updated to version 3.4 for even more protection. The Secure folder app is still also present, and allows you to password protect your apps and files in a folder stored separately from the OS.
- Fingerprint scanner: yes, in-display
- Face scanner: no
- Iris scanner: no
- Manual authentication: password, PIN, pattern, swipe
Box Includes
The Note 10 and 10+ box comes packed with all the usual goodies. Once you open the box, you'll get the following:
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10 (or 10+)
- Samsung USB Type-C Cable
- Samsung Power Adapter (25W)
- USB-C Earbuds
- SIM Tray Ejector
- Welcome Letter
- Quick Start Guide
- Safety Information
Cover image via Joshua Vergara/YouTube
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